Movie Star Mystery Read Online Free PDF

ball for Greta and Watch as Tate told the rest of his story. Getting nipped by the parrot could have happened to anyone, he explained, and it wasn’t really serious. And having one of the pipes burst and his trailer flood was inconvenient and messy, but also something that could have just been an accident.
    “But when that wall collapsed and the canister of film disappeared, I began to get worried. Especially since that particular canister contained scenes in the film that involved only me. That’s also when I began to realize that I was being followed,” Tate said.
    “Who was following you? A reporter?” Henry asked.
    “I thought so at first. But if it had been a reporter, sooner or later he or she would have approached me. And it wasn’t anyone trying to take sneaky photos of me, because none appeared in the press.”
    “That’s why this is a big secret, then,” Jessie said. “You don’t want anyone following you here. And you don’t want any more bad luck.”
    “I just want to do my job and enjoy being a kid,” said Tate. He sighed. Then, as if pushing away the thought of bad luck, he jumped up.
    “Let me show you around. It’s a pretty cool old place,” he said.
    With the dogs romping along nearby, the Aldens and Tate walked around the old estate. Much of it was still overgrown by weeds and vines, and they saw people hammering and sawing and raking and planting. On one side of the house they stopped by a fountain that had been cleared and repaired. Fat fish swam lazily in a pool below the splashing water.
    Greta and Watch stood at the edge of the pool, gazing intently at the fish. Then Watch stuck his whole head into the pool.
    “Watch, be careful!” Violet cried.
    But when Watch pulled his dripping head out with a comical expression on his face, everybody laughed.
    “That’s no way to catch a fish, Watch,” Tate said. “Greta could have told you that.”
    “Tate?” a woman called from the back porch,
    Tate looked up and waved. “Come on,” he said to the Aldens. “I want you to meet my mom. My dad’s traveling with the symphony.”
    “Call me Estella,” the tall, slender woman insisted as she shook hands with each of the Aldens. She was as colorful as an exotic flower, in rose-colored pants, a wide sash of turquoise, and a loose shirt splashed with rose, turquoise, and yellow flowers and green leaves. Like Tate, she had jet-black hair and thick curling eyelashes, but her eyes were dark brown instead of blue.
    When Benny shook hands with Estella, he said, “You look more like a movie star than Tate.”
    Estella laughed. “You’ll go far, Benny,” she said.
    “I don’t want to go anywhere,” said Benny. “I like it in Greenfield.”
    Estella laughed again, throwing back her head.
    “Estella? Telephone call for you. And we still need to finish going over that contract.” The man with the silver hair came out of the house. Even though he had been inside, he had on sunglasses.
    “This is Eddie Hampton,” Tate said, and introduced the Aldens to his agent. “He’s visiting.”
    “Briefly, briefly,” said the agent. “Estella? That contract?”
    “Have a nice visit to Greenfield,” said Henry politely.
    “Greenfield? Is that where I am? Who knew?” said Eddie, shaking his head. He was still shaking his head as he went back in the house.
    Estella laughed and followed him. From the doorway, she fluttered her fingers at the Aldens. “Nice to meet you. See you soon, I hope,” she said.
    Jessie looked at her wristwatch. “Uh-oh,” she said. “We have to go now to be home in time for lunch.”
    “I’ll walk you to the gate and get the mail,” Tate said. “Next time, maybe you can stay for lunch.”
    “I’d like that,” Benny said.
    Courtney seemed to come from nowhere. “Don’t go outside the gate,” she said to Tate. She nodded at the Aldens. “Welcome back.” Her voice was curt, but she didn’t seem quite as unfriendly as she had the day before.
    “Thank you,”